That means Palmer will be back in Chicago on Sept. 7 when the Bills face the Bears at Soldier Field in the season opener. According to reports, Palmer was finalizing a deal with the Bills on Tuesday and now will have 10 days to pepper his new team with intelligence on the offense and the quarterback of the organization that employed him for the past 10 months.

“It’s not an ideal situation,” Cutler said Tuesday. “It’s not exactly what you’d want. He can give them a few things I’m sure. If he does sign, he’ll be meeting with (Bills defensive coordinator Jim) Schwartz pretty much immediately."

Palmer spent the offseason and the preseason auditioning to be Cutler's backup but lost that competition to Jimmy Clausen. He left with no hard feelings Sunday but is now in position to aid the Bears' first regular-season opponent.

“He knows snap counts, some of the stuff we do with some of our checks, what plays we like," Cutler said. "But they still have to defend it. So I don’t think we’ll change much if anything. Maybe a few tweaks here and there. But we’ll just have to go play football.”

So when Eagles rookie Jaylen Watkins intercepted Fales near the Bears' sideline Aug. 8, it was as helpful to his development as a touchdown pass.

...

David Fales knows better now. That's the beauty of exhibition games for rookies such as the Bears' sixth-round quarterback. Each failure offers a lesson.

So when Eagles rookie Jaylen Watkins intercepted Fales near the Bears' sideline Aug. 8, it was as helpful to his development as a touchdown pass.

... (Rich Campbell)

Besides, Cutler and the Bears have their own worries after being shut out on four first-half possessions during Friday’s 34-6 loss in Seattle. The Bears punted on their first three possessions in the defeat, then saw Cutler throw an interception near the end zone on their final drive before halftime.

Still, the Bears quarterback didn’t think the offense absorbed a major confidence hit from those struggles.

“We’re still confident,” Cutler said. “I think watching the film, there were a few things early on that if we could have changed or done a little bit better, we would have been right there in the game. So I don’t think we can lose our edge or our confidence on the offense just because of that. We still have a really good scheme, really good players and we just need to continue going forward.”

Chicago Bears' Matt Forte breaks the NFL record for most catches by a running back in a season.

Chicago Bears' Matt Forte breaks the NFL record for most catches by a running back in a season.

CaptionJimmy Clausen does little to dig Bears out of season rut

The Bears' loss to the Lions at Soldier Field is being overstated, says Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh as he recaps Jimmy Clausen starting his first game in four seasons.

The Bears' loss to the Lions at Soldier Field is being overstated, says Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh as he recaps Jimmy Clausen starting his first game in four seasons.

CaptionJimmy Clausen and Bears fall to Lions

Jimmy Clausen and Bears fall to Lions.

Jimmy Clausen and Bears fall to Lions.

Williams, a big-play threat with his speed despite his 5-foot-8, 174-pound frame, needs to step forward to merit serious consideration as the Bears’ top returner.

So what will special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis look for?

“Good decisions,” DeCamillis said. “You would like to see ball security. And then you would like to see if they’re going to hit it up in there. … On kickoff return, that hole’s not going to be open very long. So you have to really hit it.”

Receiver Micheal Spurlock is also in consideration for the kickoff and punt return jobs.

Injury report: Safeties Chris Conte (concussion) and Ryan Mundy (head laceration) and offensive lineman Brian de la Puente (knee) all missed practice Tuesday and all are unlikely to play against the Browns.